Science of the Electric Grid – Bell Ringer
Summary
Three bell ringer prompts ask students to examine how electricity reaches them and what happens when it doesn’t. Students move from personal impact to systems thinking, ending with the complexity and interdependence of the electric grid. Works for high school Earth science, physics, or an introductory energy unit, and pairs naturally with any electric grid lesson sequence.
Imagine waking up to find that nothing in your home that uses electricity works for a full day. What three things would affect you the most?
List three things in your daily life that depend on electricity, and explain how the energy needed to power each one is delivered to you.
The electric grid is sometimes called “the world’s largest machine.” Explain why it needs to be so complex, and what could happen if part of it fails.
